As a self-confessed 'older woman', romantic author JoJo Moyes has been fully committed to taking the bull by the horns and embracing the joy of midlife.
In a new interview with HELLO! Magazine, the author spoke about how since turning 55 and the break-up of her 22-year marriage, something sparked inside her to break out of her comfort zone and become a bigger, bolder version of herself.
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"I find older women doing interesting things so inspirational," says the Kent-born author of the hit film adaptation Me Before You. "In the past five years, I've pushed myself to keep looking outwards. In January, I went swimming with sharks. It was exhilarating - I think I was on a high for about two weeks."
© ContourShe has also embraced the healing powers of meditation and yoga and dropped her wine intake to give herself a midlife reset. "It's annoying but makes a massive difference.
"We only get one shot at life," she says. "It's such a cliche, but life is not a dress rehearsal, and it hits you when you get to this age."
Life after divorce
In her recent book, We All Live Here, JoJo tells the story of Lila, a woman whose husband has just left her for one of the school mums - a break up JoJo is happy to point out is far removed from her own.
Her own second act came during Covid as she unravelled a life of 22 years with her husband - and lost her mum in the same year. While it has been hard and complicated, JoJo says she is proud of how she and her ex have navigated it, remaining friends and spending Christmases together with their three children.
"I got divorced after a very long marriage, and although you can grieve for the future you thought you had, the bonus is that anything can happen and it could be fantastic," she told us.
"Some of it's going to be tough, and some of it's going to be lonely, and some of it's going to be challenging, but some of it's going to be amazing. And I think that’s the lovely thing about this age."
She adds: "I'm definitely leading my best life. It has its challenges, but it's really rewarding."
Dating apps in midlife
JoJo's attempt to dabble in dating apps a year after her split ended in disaster with a friend ordering her to delete it as she spiralled into a panic attack at the lack of eligible men.
© GettyInstead, she found a second stab at romance via the traditional route. The day after she deleted the app, she bumped into someone she knew in her twenties and has been with them ever since.
"We women who grew up in the 80s and 90s didn't have the same dating experience. We got drunk copped with someone at the bar and three months later we would be dating," she said in a recent podcast Postcards from Midlife. "I don't think I have the energy, I just want to hang out with my dogs."
To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
